I have always made my own Christmas cake, a tradition passed on by my mum and hers before her and one I find hard to give up. Tall Girl usually helps (and sometimes Small Sprog too), perhaps she will always make her own Christmas cake when she is older. I hope so.
So, the day before yesterday, I put all the dried fruit to soak in brandy. I tend to not measure the brandy, as the recipe suggests, but instead just sloosh it in. I love the smell and just can't resist smuggling a bit from under the cloth during the soaking process (cooks rewards!).
However, (luckily) today there was enough left to make a cake with!! Tall Girl came down from the sanctuary of her room to help beat the eggs, stir in the milk with the black treacle, rub in the flour, butter and brown sugar, pour in the walnuts and steal the cherries! I have to say I don't keep to the recipe with this bit either, adding extra bits as I go along but that's all part of the fun. Then, as part of the tradition, we all stir the cake mixture and made a wish. Tall girl wanted first wish, which was made, short and sweet before padding back up to her room. Small Sprog was next. He always wishes hard and long, with eyes screwed up tight shut, if any ones wish should come true it should be his. I suspect it had something to do with what he wanted for Christmas!One of the nit children from down the road was here and he had a stir followed by Husband. Husbands wish was long like Small Sprogs and I wondered what it could have been, he said he had a lot to wish for, I shall never know. Mine was the last wish. There was just a little stirring left to be done but I found it hard to think far enough ahead to wish, there is a future out there, but I am still not sure what it will be. So 'health and happiness for everyone I know' is the standard default! There, have I spoilt it now? I didn't say it out loud so I don't think it counts as telling!
What would you wish for?
So, the day before yesterday, I put all the dried fruit to soak in brandy. I tend to not measure the brandy, as the recipe suggests, but instead just sloosh it in. I love the smell and just can't resist smuggling a bit from under the cloth during the soaking process (cooks rewards!).
However, (luckily) today there was enough left to make a cake with!! Tall Girl came down from the sanctuary of her room to help beat the eggs, stir in the milk with the black treacle, rub in the flour, butter and brown sugar, pour in the walnuts and steal the cherries! I have to say I don't keep to the recipe with this bit either, adding extra bits as I go along but that's all part of the fun. Then, as part of the tradition, we all stir the cake mixture and made a wish. Tall girl wanted first wish, which was made, short and sweet before padding back up to her room. Small Sprog was next. He always wishes hard and long, with eyes screwed up tight shut, if any ones wish should come true it should be his. I suspect it had something to do with what he wanted for Christmas!One of the nit children from down the road was here and he had a stir followed by Husband. Husbands wish was long like Small Sprogs and I wondered what it could have been, he said he had a lot to wish for, I shall never know. Mine was the last wish. There was just a little stirring left to be done but I found it hard to think far enough ahead to wish, there is a future out there, but I am still not sure what it will be. So 'health and happiness for everyone I know' is the standard default! There, have I spoilt it now? I didn't say it out loud so I don't think it counts as telling!
What would you wish for?
17 comments:
I make my own too, just like my mum. I'm now teaching daughter how to make one and then we decorate it together. Unfortunately last year's took 6 hours to cook, so I'm waiting for a day when I can stay in for 6 hours to watch it this year.
How are you decorating it? We're doing the ring of stars from November's Good Food Magazine.
Hi Working Mum, Tall girl decorates the cake single handed! She has already said she wants to do it again this year. She usually has an idea in mind and (because I'm concious that I often try to be in control)I just let her get on with it!!
After the year I've been having...good health would be on the top of my list!
I can't get my head round Christmas this year. Can't believe it is so near.
Don't make cakes any more but have in the past.
What do I wish for?
Continued good health in the family!
Yes, of course, health and happiness,
and in the case of the US - OBAMA.....
love from New York
I'm almost feeling Christmassy, now, after reading your post! I've made Christmas pudding, but not cake. Your's is a great tradition, which I'm sure they will all remember, with fondness, when older.
My father, in his 80s, has crippling arthritis in his hip and a pacemaker, because of heart problems. I would wish that his consultant would decide that it was safe enough to do his operation with an epidural, as he is in agony, at the moment.
I do hope that nit child didn't shed any nits into the cake mixture. Have I put you off? If so, I suggest that you send the finished cake to my virtual address. ;0)
My Grandma always made her own cake - and Christmas Pudding. I used to make my own cake, and it was always done at October half term. I don't eat cake now, having discovered I'm allergic to wheat - and the kids don't like fruit cake, so there's nobody to make it for. :-(
My wish would have been similar to yours. x
Oh, is that what we all wish for?! I haven't made a Christmas cake for a long time as only Husband likes it. But daughter has taken to making them.
I can't tell, of course (or it won't come true). But...
My mother used to make Christmas cakes around this time of year, and Christmas pudding too.....But I was long gone from home when I became interested myself. Her fruit cake was praised by all, but I only ate it for the marzipan and the frosting! I make a much lighter fruit cake, closer to Christmas. The fruit gets soaked in bourbon overnight, but it's not as dense as my mum's.
I'd wish for life to go more smoothly for a few of my children.....
I wish I'd thought to mention NaBloPoMo [National Blog Posting Month]earlier. For the month of November bloggers sign up to post every day for the entire month.....
Hi Sub! I don't think your wish counts as 'out loud' unless you said it out loud while you typed it?
Can we have a cake picture, please? Even one in the preparation stage would be fun to see.
I didn't know that you could make a wish when stirring the Christmas cake. I thought that it was only the Christmas pudding. All those wishes that I have missed! I'll be making my cake soon. I'll have to make up for lost wishes.
Reading your post has actually made me feel hungry.
Can it really be Christmas baking time already? Every year I bake one based loosely on my Mum's recipe...the adaptations add an extra edge to the process. Without it, and a variation on her Christmas pudding, Christmas simply wouldn't be the same. I wonder if our kids will do the same.
We're British and we hate Christmas cake, mince pies and plum pudding. I was blessed to marry someone who hates them as well, and of course I have passed on the not liking thing to the two kids.
I do however love the boozy smell of Christmas cake, and I don't drink alcohol!!
Gill in Canada
Alright~I want to know more about this tradition. I am curious and love traditions. Thanks for missing me! I would make a wish for health and happiness but...I would also wish for some unresolved issues to be resolved where my hubby and his eye injuries are concerned. It doesn't have to end the way I want I just wish we could move on and quit wondering what if....Have a great Evening and please fill me in on this tradition.
That's so sweet!
Christmas cake... I've never heard of that. What is treacle?
I'm a firm believer in wishing on just about everything; stars, rainbows, pennies, you name it.
Cake works for me.
Why do you make the cake so early?
And, it certainly isn't spoiled by sharing it with us.
Scarlett & Viaggiatore
Post a Comment